Married.
I got married.
I got married on New Year’s Day!
It was one of the happiest days of my life.
I’m pleased to introduce my new joys.
Steven. I started dating Steven a year and a half ago. A mutual friend introduced us saying we led parallel lives. A single dad with two daughters, he loves to travel, eat sushi and is passionate about life. Our friends tease us that we are the only two people on the planet who love circus peanuts (the squishy, orange marshmellowy tasting candy—not to be confused with Easter Peeps.)
More important than our favorite childhood candy, Steven is a man of character, strength and loyalty. He loves with a generous heart and has a sense of humor that is rare to find. He told me this week, “I hope I can make you laugh every day for the rest of your life.” I love that proposal as I have some catching up to do in that area.
What does my family think? My mom and dad admire Steven and the role he plays in my life. My sister told me he has depth. My mother-in-law, Shawn’s mom, told me last night on the phone, “Jennifer you won the prize.” When Steven first met Shawn’s sister, she told me how much the family liked him and that if I decided not to keep him, they would! I am beyond blessed that Steven has become a part of all of our lives in a genuine way.
And my kids–their opinion of this new guy in our life? I think they have been waiting for him for a very long time. After we got engaged (10-1-10) Jordan told Steven, “When you marry my mom I will call you dad and I will call my dad in heaven daddy.” Madelynn likes to call him papa-poo.
There are two other special little people that come with this package.
Cajsa [pronounced Kasha]. Named after a great-great-great grandmother, Cajsa is Steven’s ten-year old daughter. She is bright and loving. An athletic little girl, she loves gymnastics, hockey and dirt-biking. Her sense of humor mirrors her father’s and she has a talent for lighting up a room with her expression-filled personality. Jordan loves to make tree-fort floor plans with this new, cool older sister.
Onie [pronounced Oh-knee]. Onie is a nickname for Ione, named after a great aunt. Eight-year old, Onie, is a wonderful playmate to my kids. She is creative, funny and spontaneous. She excels in school and is a natural artist who enjoys painting, drawing cartoons and making little creatures out of clay. Like Madelynn, she is a perpetually happy child.
The four kids together have a “Brady-Bunchy” sort of dynamic. Still, they get tired and cranky like any other children and I have yet to master how to make something for dinner that all four of them like.
What Steven and I note most about our kids is that they have been through great struggle in their young lives and yet live with such resilience and love. They crave a family. And it is our immense privilege to make and be a family with them.
The idea to marry on New Year’s Day was short and sweet. One of my dearest friends suggested the date to me when I explained we wanted our marriage to represent a new beginning. She asked, “What could be a more ultimate new start than New Year’s Day?”
The craziness of the suggestion and the ideal date of 1-1-11 sold me. Along with the incredible help of family and a few very close friends we planned a magical wedding day in less than two weeks. The whirlwind of our spontaneous plan took away typical wedding pressures and allowed the focus to be about our new family and new found joy.
Married.
I got married.
I got married on New Year’s Day!
It was one of the happiest days of my life.
